Vehicle emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) are of increasing concern as CO2 is a principal greenhouse gas for global warming. In an effort to reduce the amount of CO2 emitted from a vehicle several systems and methods have been developed. However, as there are many ongoing legislative efforts to mandate significant reduction in CO2 emissions in vehicles new technologies are needed in addition to the previously known developments.
One such method for reducing the emission of CO2 is known as an engine start-stop strategy. Start-stop technology reduces CO2 by deactivating the engine of a vehicle when the vehicle brakes or when it comes to a stop. The engine restarts once the vehicle ceases braking or begins accelerating from a stopped position.
Another technology that achieves CO2 reduction is known as an intelligent speed adaptation (ISA). ISA systems monitor the current speed of a vehicle and compare the current speed to the speed limit of the vehicle's current location or a speed limit based on current road or traffic scenarios. The system provides either a warning to the driver when the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit and/or performs active speed control of the vehicle. As the speed of a vehicle and emissions produced are directly related, limiting the maximum speed of the vehicle affords some reduction in the emissions produced. However, current ISA applications are primarily used as a safety system to prevent vehicles from exceeding a speed limit, and, as such, are configured to limiting a maximum speed rather than reducing CO2 emissions.
Neither the engine start-stop systems nor ISA systems take into account additional driving factors that can contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions, such systems merely discontinue the operation of the engine or limit the maximum speed. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a system which can contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions that result from driving factors not addressed by previously known methods. Further, it is desirable to have a system which can be used in combination with previously known CO2 reduction methods which would result in additional CO2 reduction.